I Like Thursday #380 trees, questions, raspberry shortbread and a poodle

 

welcome to this week's list of likes... starting with kitchen table that's as cleared off as it ever gets. I love the little snowman bowl, and it's holding stonewall kitchen's soft peppermints made with real sugar not corn syrup. I love a candy bowl! I made that table runner, and the cow placemats are red after all

 Mandala workshop

happy to be drawing/learning/painting again in my sketchbook. One can join her group to get prompts and I see they'd be good when you want to paint but don't know what to do

 I like the feel, if not the look of my new slippers. 

amazon (link here)

I developed Reynaud's syndrome in my toes and it caused much trouble last year, and I think I'm out of the woods. The doctor said to make sure I keep those toesies warm this winter, so... wool socks plus these plush slippers

Reading on Ebook 

 I love how many books Jenny colgan wrote for holidays...modern, clever, realistic family

 listened to on audio books: 

just finished this romance/mystery/action book, fun read, and good reader. Budding film maker at University, gets embroiled in a dangerous situation

 fine dining

I did try a couple new recipes. I made the cinnamon bread again, and baked a butternut squash (which is fairly new to us) made Greek lemon/olive oil/oregano baked potato wedges, and some other good things,.. The big happy was trying a new recipe for raspberry bars (recipe here: https://myfamilythyme.com/fabulous-five-ingredient-raspberry-bars/

SO good!

 she says to cut it into 24 cookies, and we w.o.u.l.d. but we had some the first night for dessert! 

I figure we ate a lot of butter that night... it's like shortbread with raspberry flavor

I'll cut the rest into smaller squares

I made chocolate covered cherries again. This time just about each stage was a disaster! last time it was easy. They must be made, then allowed to rest for a month for the sugar to dissolve around the cherries

recipe here: Amish chocolate covered cherries

Of course my chocolate wouldn't coat them and I had to go in a day later and patch the chocolate so they wouldn't leak all over. They are sitting resting on the counter to hopefully be ready around Christmas. I'd buy them but they are made with corn syrup and a host of icky chemicals.

well! This video of 100 restaurant food hacks to do at home is VERY informative

He is slightly annoying but great suggestions and I watched to the very end! (says a lot)

Our prompt questions are about Christmas Trees...If you don't celebrate Christmas, what special thing do you put up to celebrate your holiday season? 

1. Real tree or fake tree?
   
2. Star or angel?
3. Tree up before Thanksgiving or after Thanksgiving?
   

 I love a real tree but all three of us have allergies to a real tree so... when we moved here into a house with a two story high family room (personally I'd have loved a loft built above the FR to use as a studio like in other homes, but the space is lovely) we bought a new tall very realistic tree. It's big and I like it in the room so I leave it up all year long, decorating it for other holidays!

 Growing up,  our family had a real tree covered in ornaments and tinsel. Oh the breathtaking view of a tinsel covered tree, gently moving and shimmering in a slight breeze... magical! Messy! I loved pulling apart each tinsel strand and putting it on just the right branch... for a while then tossing a lot of it to see where it landed! 

Then when I was a pre-teen my mother came home with a silver metallic tree, each branch had to be pulled from the paper sleeve and put in just the right hole on the trunk. Then, wait for it, a spotlight behind a turning multicolored wheel was aimed at it and Wowza! It was my job to set up and take down each year, returning each branch to the right sleeve and packed in the box. 

I am partial to stars... we always seemed to have a star on top, I have one in a box somewhere made by an artist, a metal multicolored stars all welded to each other in a magnificent burst of colors! We can't reach the top of ours here but I have two sequined butterflies to go up there. 

 I collect ornaments, and some recurring themes... sugar plum fairy ballerinas, one is a cow, this is a rabbit. I collect poodles, cows, whimsy.They don't all go up each year. 

I am a FIRM believer in stay in your holiday lane... I never put out Christmas decorations til after Thanksgiving. Before Thanksgiving I enjoy those colors and decorations, then Christmas! which stays up til epiphany or well, whenever I feel like I'm done with them. 

 what about you?

Milo's moments

 

lol, been listening to my husband talking to Milo? When Milo doesn't answer in English my husband turns to me and asks what does he want?  Milo turns to me to send the message, and I answer as if I know for sure what he wants.
somehow it's usually right 

Milo: Ho Ho Phoey! You don't listen enough to me Mama! I do NOT like this hat

I do not like that you bake yummy smelling things I can't have, I do not like you yelling at me to stop barking when a NEIGHBOR has come OUT of their house! I do like sleeping in, in my jimjams, under my little blanket on the big bed after you two get up. It's all cozy and big and I stretch out and snooze.

I also like the butternut squash, so I'd like a WHOLE one for just me please, cooked with butter. 

please visit these fine folks with lists of likes 

chasing my stories

https://knittingquilter.blogspot.com/ 

grammajudyb.blogspot.com

http://littlepenguinquilts

 https://knittingquilter.blogspot.com/  

https://canadianneedlenana.blogspot.com/ 

princess bubbles creates   

https://comfortspiral.blogspot.com/

 craftscaviescontras   

 http://imworkingonaproject.blogspot.com/

https://www.homesewnbyus.com/

the knitty quilter

  pieceful thoughts

http://3poodlesandanana.blogspot.com  

https://lavenderdreamstoo.blogspot.com/

 

   LINKING WITH 

https://brianshomeblog.com/ 

http://itsasmalltownlife.blogspot.com/   

http://goodrandomfun.blogspot.com

https://llbinourbackyard.blogspot.com/

               friday smiles at a stitch in time

http://floralfridayfoto.blogspot.com/

 https://grammysgrid.com/unlimited-link-party-143/?utm_source=mailpoet&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=grammys-grid-news-for-datem-dated-datey-1

finally som sewing time... and nod to drawing and painting with a wish list

I am trying to get back in studio to make things. I wanted to paint cards, bead ornaments, and sew. I haven't had time to do anything til this this week. I dragged out the scrap bag of Christmas fabrics, and found 6 star blocks the same size.

I think I made them each to test a pattern and just used the same bag of scraps for all... I decided to make a single person quilt for the bed... so I added in a couple more stars

then tried to find a fabric to insert in spaces between. Amazing, my entire stash didn't have one that worked! So I got out my little box of 2" squares and just put some in the space to see what it might look like

I like it but I'll have to cut squares 3" to make a 12.5" block...

70 3" squares cut

then I have to pick a background for the squares... oh no... that's a problem as I want it Christmas colors but have used beige, tan, green and red... and now nothing works as background!

Crikey! what now???

better take a break to have a sweetie

felt pincushion made years ago

DH comes in to hand me this and say....

"here, this half square triangle was in the washer" which means he is an honorary member of the Husbands-who- live-with-quilters   and something gets in...

I hung up some Christmas favorites this week, and here's Santa vacationing in Florida

I'll share more later... 

I'm trying to take a mandala workshop but run out of time. 

I found this list of AWESOME artistic gifts of supplies any painter would want: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvWUpAxTXl8

now to use the supplies I already have...

Linking with

linking to:

https://superscrappy.blogspot.com

patchwork Sunday   

oh Scrap Sundays

slow stitching Sundays

https://melvalovesscraps.blogspot.com/

design wall Mondays at smallquiltsanddollquilts

https://songbirddesigns.blog/monday-musings-6-26-23/ 

http://www.inquiringquilter.com/ Wednesday wait loss

Midweek makers wednesdays  

http://www.myquiltinfatuation.com/ 

https://confessionsofafabricaddict.blogspot.com/ 

face off

finished or not

off the wall Fridays

I Like Thursday # 379 decorations, party discussions, home made oncinnamon bread and a cute poodle

 

Santa on the mantel,  I built the "ice" with a broken ornament!

  Our prompt this week 

Describe your perfect Christmas party, where, who's there, what food and drinks are served, etc

this is all dreaming, as we still distance from infection since I am allergic to the vaccines. But, if I were able, I'd love...

a fancy party where people put on their fun festive silly attire, much like the parties we used to attend in MD at a contra dancing couple's house. Lots of fun nice people, all brought good food to share, everyone looks sparkly and festive, we split into several rooms, one of which has ongoing board games to get to know each other. At some point we would do the stealing game with pressies. 

entry hall table

 or I'd love to go to the national Christmas trees again, with entertainment, tons of people to watch, trees from every state plus the big one. Entertainment and hot chocolate... win win. 

or IF  I had a warm accepting nice family, like the ones on Hallmark who say family is everything, I'd love to have Christmas dinner there, around a pretty table, kid's at another table, fancy plates and table setting. Sitting around the table talking over desserts, laughing. 

I like to dress up or I do in my head... high heels are no longer on my plan but back in the day, a snug dress with lots of sparkles and high heel pumps, hair done with a rhinestone barrette maybe a feather boa... beautiful setting, lots of laughing smart people to chat with, champagne as well as a special party martini, great jazz playing and a few people dancing. 

Fine Dining

Ooooo finally a perfect cinnamon bread recipe! It worked and was so good we finished it in a week!

recipe from:  https://www.jennycancook.com/recipes/cinnamon-swirl-raisin-bread/

 I turned those stale dry Thanksgiving whole wheat rolls into this....

which we had hot with the Bailey's sauce, and then for several big breakfasts after tha

https://iwashyoudry.com/lsgp-bread-pudding/ 

 added in some maple syrup and pecans and it's a good recipe. Then I got the wild idea to make a sauce for it... we have unopened baileys in the pantry from last year, yep it's still good! 

Then I tried this recipe https://www.threeolivesbranch.com/irish-cream-dessert-sauce/

Lawsy miss scarlett! this chef blog has about 25 recipes I want to try... she does Italian and Italian/mexican dishes and do they ever look good! 

 the stocking (caps) were hung by the chimney with care... 

on the left is the stocking hat I crocheted last year!

 Milo's Moment

Mama: MILO! why are you making that choking kind of sound, are you pulling against your collar?

Milo: NO Mama, I do not pull on walks! 

Milo: Daddy is pulling on me!! Pulling me back towards him! 

Mama: hmph.... you better walk next to me and stop pulling

Milo: (under his poodle breath) what fun is that..."

Mama: come upstairs with me good boy and let's pick out an early pressie for you! 

 Milo: (spying the basket of toys in the forbidden room) Ohhhhhhh! Did Santa come already? I heard on the talky talk last night that in another country santa fills stockings on Dec 5th! 

Mama: ahem, well, you shouldn't be in here, but lookie what I have

Milo: very excited! What is it Mama, it looks like a ring toy but it's colorful... I thought you said there were not more ring toys! They're my favorites! 

 Mama: well, here you go honey! 

Milo: dances around and around with the ring in his mouth, running to the front window to show everyone, running to the family room, the living room, and collapsing with it by his downstairs bed

 Mama: let's keep it in the house and the skin on til Christmas, you have skint ones outside already

Milo: heck Mama, no dog can see me with it if  we do that! 

please visit these fine folks with lists of likes 

https://wordweaverart.blogspot.com/

chasing my stories

grammajudyb.blogspot.com

http://littlepenguinquilts

 https://knittingquilter.blogspot.com/  

https://canadianneedlenana.blogspot.com/ 

princess bubbles creates   

https://comfortspiral.blogspot.com/

 craftscaviescontras   

 http://imworkingonaproject.blogspot.com/

https://www.homesewnbyus.com/

the knitty quilter

  pieceful thoughts

http://3poodlesandanana.blogspot.com  

https://lavenderdreamstoo.blogspot.com/

 

   LINKING WITH 

https://brianshomeblog.com/ 

http://itsasmalltownlife.blogspot.com/   

http://goodrandomfun.blogspot.com

https://llbinourbackyard.blogspot.com/

               friday smiles at a stitch in time

http://floralfridayfoto.blogspot.com/